Introduction à la natation sportive

T3/Q4 2021

Swimming is a noncontact physical activity that lets you be socially distant while still receiving many health benefits. Exercising in water can increase cardiac function, reduce blood pressure and improve muscle blood flow, respiratory function and brain function. Water reduces joint impact, so you can do high-intensity exercise with little to no discomfort from impact. Swimming targets your entire body and allows a greater range of motion for joints than land-based exercise. Blood flows more freely to your upper body, while the water supports you and lowers gravity’s impact.

Seeking an Octopus in the Wild

By Matthew A. Birk, Ph.D.

T3/Q4 2021

Octopuses hole up in small dens, are quite excellent at camouflage and are most active at night, so not all divers have seen one on a dive. But biologist Matthew Birk, who studies octopuses, felt that never having seen one in the wild was a blemish on his career and sought to remedy the situation on a trip to Santa Catalina Island off Southern California.

Gar Waterman : le sculpteur de limaces de mer

Par Patricia Wuest

T3/Q4 2021

Known for their striking colors, patterns and forms, nudibranchs are found in seas all over the world. Sculptor Gar Waterman’s fascination with these sea slugs extends beyond his aesthetic appreciation for their unique, organic form. Because most nudibranchs have a life span of less than a year and adapt rapidly to changes in their environment, they help scientists understand the impact of global warming on ocean health. With each nudibranch that he has cut, chiseled and polished from stone, Waterman hopes to communicate their quirky beauty and scientific role.

Célébration de l'herbe de mer

Par Shane Gross

T3/Q4 2021

On ne saurait trop insister sur les avantages de la protection des herbiers marins. Les herbiers marins purifient l'eau, contribuent à la protection contre l'érosion côtière, aident à maintenir les pêcheries à petite échelle qui soutiennent les communautés, et augmentent les populations de poissons et la biodiversité. Elle séquestre beaucoup plus de carbone par surface que les forêts terrestres et réduit l'acidification des océans. Des herbiers marins en bonne santé sont synonymes d'un océan plus sain.

SMARTER: Travel Document Delays

T3/Q4 2021

It’s been more than a year since many divers have traveled internationally and visited beloved or new dive destinations. Although it is unclear when and which international destinations will be fully accessible, it’s important to stay proactive about important travel documentation preparation.

Rescue Skill Modifications

By Haley Davis

T3/Q4 2021

The required skills in a rescue scenario — which involved a surface swim while providing rescue breaths and removing dive gear from the victim and rescuer — were not coming easily, especially if my dive buddy was larger than me. Techniques for rescue diving seemed suited for people with a different body type and skill set — at 5 feet, 4 inches tall, I am a petite woman. Practicing rescues was challenging at best and near-impossible at worst until a course director taught me techniques and modifications that made rescuing more accessible.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT: DAN Courses 3.0 Update

T3/Q4 2021

You are on the boat after a great dive when a buddy team surfaces, and one of them calls out for help. The boat crew helps get the distressed diver on board. Would you know what to do next? Whatever your level of dive training, or even if you are a nondiver dealing with an incident on land, DAN’s first aid training can help you know what to do and how to do it.

DAN DISPATCH: DAN Summer Research Internship

T3/Q4 2021

More than 100 interns over 20 years have participated in DAN’s internship programs, working with established mentors in research, risk mitigation or medicine to gain knowledge and valuable professional experience while contributing to DAN operations. This year five interns traveled to Durham, North Carolina, to participate in the program.

Calling the Dive

By Tec Clark

T3/Q4 2021

Calling a dive is not as easy as just giving the thumbs-up signal. There are steps to follow after the signal to cancel a dive. The dive briefing should cover these procedures, and the greater the dive’s potential risk, the more attention to detail the procedures and briefing should have to make calling the dive happen as safely as possible.